harassment
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Mychal Watts / Getty
Diddy has yet another lawsuit that has come his way. Sara from Da Band has filed a $60 million dollar claim against him for harassment and more.
People is reporting that Sara Rivers, formerly known as Sara Stokes, who successfully landed a Bad Boy Entertainment record deal by competing on Making The Band, has filed a legal grievance against her former CEO. The lawsuit is 148 pages long and details how she alleged suffered under Diddy’s tyranny during her run as the group’s only vocalist.
In the complaint, she says that not only did Diddy harass her but also assaulted her. Rivers says she also had to work under inhumane conditions where Diddy frequently criticized her appearance and even made fun of her for having bulimia. She also infers that Diddy creeped her out on several occasions by talking to her so closely to “where he could kiss her and asks her in a low, sensual voice how she is doing, if she’s ok and if she needed anything at all.” The paperwork also states that Diddy was also guilty of “making physical threats to group members,” and claims that he “threatened to eat the face of one person and kill another.”
Diddy’s legal team have denied the claims in an exclusive statement to People. “This is yet another example of false claims being filed against Mr. Combs. No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor,” the communication reads. “We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason. With the deadline for New York’s Gender-Motivated Violence Act expiring tomorrow, it’s clear that opportunists are rushing to file last-minute, meritless claims. Mr. Combs remains confident he will prevail in court.”
Diddy’s federal trial is set to commence in May.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Dave J Hogan / Getty
It seems Lizzo will have to defend her name against more allegations. Another former tour employee has filed a lawsuit claiming that she experienced hostile work conditions.
TMZ is reporting that Asha Daniels has filed a formal legal grievance against the entertainer. On Thursday, September 21 the complaint was filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court. The Hill obtained the documentation which states that Daniels experienced “degradation, forced physical labor, denial of medical care, sexual harassment, and racial harassment” when she worked in wardrobe for Lizzo’s tour starting in February 2023.
The filing goes into further detail on Asha’s time on the road with the singer. “Almost immediately, Plaintiff was introduced to the culture of racism and bullying on Lizzo’s tour,” the lawsuit stated. It added that the her dance team was “forced to change in and out of their clothing in small, tight, changing areas during all the shows with little to no privacy whatsoever” while staff members, who were reported to be primarily white males, crew “would lewdly gawk, sneer, and giggle while watching the dancers rush through their outfit changes.”
Daniels also says that the executive who offered her the position, Amanda Nomura, was especially toxic. She says Nomura, a Black woman, would frequently mock Lizzo and other women of color calling them “dumb”, “fat” and “useless.” Additionally, she says that she was asked to tone down her clothing choices as Lizzo would allegedly get upset if her boyfriend was around attractive women.
Asha also states that management was aware of Nomura’s behavior including tour manager Carlina Gugliotta who suggested Asha secretly record Amanda. Eventually, the plaintiff decided not to fearing secretly recording Nomura would be unethical and or unlawful. Daniels is represented by Neama Rahmani, the same lawyer who represented the three former dancers who filed against the “Special” singer back in August.
Lizzo’s spokesperson Stefan Friedman has responded to the new lawsuit saying the allegations are absurd. “As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award tonight from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo.”
He went on to add, “We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None.”
-
Pages